Thbophilb ricour



(No Model.)

"T. RIOOUR.

, LOGOMOTIVE STEAM ENGINE. Q No. 292,588. Patented Jan. 29,1884."

Wneawes:

N. PETERS. mum um Wuhinpm. at;

n me STATES T'HEOPHILE RIOOUR,

OF Tones, FRANCE.

'LOCOMOTIVE STEAM-ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 292,588, dated January29, 1884.

Application filed April 3, 1883. (No model.) Patented in France July 20,1882, No. 150,179.

air to the interior of the steam-chest or slidevalve casing oflocomotiveengines when running wit-h the steam shut off, and also to themeans employed for raising slide valves slightly off their seats whenthe engines are thus running without steam.

The principal advantages resulting from such admission of air to thesteam-chest and:

from the raising of the slide-valve when air is so admitted are thefollowing, viz:

1. Less wear of the slide-valves and cylinders. In fact, theslide-valves and motivepistons are enabled to move in an atmosphere ofpure fresh'air instead of moving-in an atmosphere composed of the hotgases laden with ashes which are alternately drawn in and expelledthrough the exhaust-passages in engines of ordinary construction. Owingto the air-valves, the slide-valve seats are preserved from becomingdirty with deposits of ashes, so that the slide-valves may be readilysepa-' rated therefrom, and wear is thus prevented.

2. Facility and economy of lubrication. This facility for lubricatingarises from the lower temperature, which is thus maintained in thevalve-casings and. in the cylinders, and

renders it possible to lubricate them with'mineral oils and carburets ofhydrogen. Valuable results are obtained by lubricating with pureoarburet of hydrogen, as hereinafter set forth in paragraphs 3 and 3.

3. Preservation of the boilers from corrosion. This corrosion is usuallycaused by the acids resulting from the decomposition of fatty matter onvegetable or animal oils, and is prevented by rendering it possible toemploy mineral oils or carburet of hydrogen exclusively.

3". Prevention of deposits of oleates upon the pistons cylinder ends,ports, 8m. These deposits result in a great part from the decompositionof vegetable oils, and the combination.

. ploy ed as a lubricant.

of oleic acid with oxides of iron. No deposit is formed when carburet ofhydrogen is em- The fiat sides 'of the pistons and the cylinder ends arekept clean, and these surfaces may be. effectually enameled,-and aconsiderable saving of steam thus effected by reducing the loss bycondensation during the period of admission.

4. Better action of the furnace when the engine is running withoutsteam. The air from the exterior drawn in through the valves is expelledthrough the exhaustpipe, and produces a strong draft in the chimney,which enables the boiler to be supplied with water when the steam isshut off without lowering the pressure. The locomotive thus acts as ablowing-engine for promoting the draft in the chimney. y

5. Reduction of the waste of power in overcoming frictional resistance.The slide-valves are rendered. susceptible of a high polish, so that thecoefficient of friction is considerably diminished, and the waste ofsteam when work ing with a full supply, being proportionate to thiscoefficient, is thus in great measure reduced.

6. Less 'fatigue for the engine-driver. This advantage results from thefacility with which the valve-gear or reversing-levers are enabled to beworked, arising from the easy motion of the slide-valves. The working ofthese levers, which is frequently necessary on uneven lines, forms aconsiderable part of the manual labor of the engine-driver.

My invention consist-s in the combination, v

with the slide-valve casing or steam-pipe of a locomotive steanrengine,of a valve adjustable and balanced for. the admission of air during thetime that the engine is running with the steam shut off, and arranged toopen upwardly, thus dispensing with any closings spring applied to thevalve. In order to prevent the said air-valve from knocking or rattlingcontinually upon its seat when the steam is shut off, the valve may beprovided with a coiled spring, which opens it and holds it open to theextent of about one or two sixteenths of an inch. Consequently the valveis held to its seat when steam is admitted to the steamchest, and islifted off its seat by said spring when the steam is shut off. Thecombination of the openingspring with the air-valve forms a part of myinvention.

The invention also consists in the combination, in alocomotivesteamengine, with theflat slide-valve and its driving-yoke, of one ormore bladesprings attached to the valve and bearing against said yoke,and tending to constantly hold the valve off its seat when it is notpressed forcibly thereon by steam-pressure within the steam-chest.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical section of thebalanced air-valve. Fig. 2 is an elevation, plan, and side view ofabridge employed to form the bearing of the counter-spring that balancesthe valve. Fig. 3 is a transverse section of the tube leading to thevalve, which is fitted to the cover of the slide-valve casing, and showsthemode of c011- necting it to the said cover. Fig. 4 is an elevation ofthe steam-chest of a locomotive-engine, fitted with an air-valve and aflat slide. Fig. 5 is a transverse section, showing the air valve insection and the arrangement of the springs attached to the back oftheslide valve, and holding the latter slightly lit'ted oil its seatwhenever the steam is shut off. Fig. 6 is a transverse section of theslide-valve, which is represented as being lifted a small distance fromits seat. Fig. 7 is aplan of the slidevalve, fitted with springs tendingto lift it from its seat when the steam is shut oil. Fig. 7" is atransverse section of a spring, showing the mode of attaching the latterto the back of the valve.

The air-valve system is composed of valvebox A, provided at its upperpart with a screwed plug, which serves to limit the rise of the circularvalve B, and enables aceessto be readily obtained to the interior of theap paratus. This box A is fixed to the slidevalve casing by a ilange ofrectangular form, corresponding to that of the passage D, which connectsthe box A with the slide-valve. The air-valve B is arranged to openupwardly, and hence requires no closing-spring.

In orderthat the valve B may remain slightly lit'ted when the steam isshutoff, the lower part of this valve is placed upon a coiled spring, E,retained in position by a metal cross-piece, F, fixed under the orificei'or the admission of air to the valve. This cross-pieceisprovided witha central stud or boss, which acts as a guide to the spring E. It will,moreover, be readily understood that the form of valve is simplyindicated by way of example, and may be modified as may be foundadvantageous for the object in view. l

Figs. 4., 5, 6, 7, and 7" show clearly the application of the aforesaidair-valve to a locomotive-cylinder with a fiat slide-valve and the meansemployed to lift the slide-valve slightly from its seat when the steamis shut off. 111

ties upon the edges of the driving yoke or frame H.

Fig. 7" shows the details of the filling at K. A pin, Q, having a squareshank, is screwed into a boss cast on the valve, and a small. rectangular locking-plate, 12 let into a recess in the back of theslide-valve, locks this pin and prevents it from becoming unscrewed.

The two locking-plates of a slide-valve may be made in one piece,engaging simultaneously with the pins Q of both the springs, and in thiscase there is no necessity for the recess in the back of the valve. Theblade-spring is shown over the locking-plate in section bycross-hatehings, and a set of washers or fillingpieces of ditl'erentthicknesses is placed over the spring, and over these is a nut andlocknut.

In order to prevent the space between the valve G and its seat I fromexceeding the proper limits, it is easy, when the valve wears away aftera certain amount of work, to place a filling-piece of suitable thicknessunder the spring, so as to compensate for the wear.

\Vhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is

1. The combination, with the slide-valve casing or steam-pipe of alocomotive steamengine, of a valve adjusted and balanced for theadmission of air during the time that the engine is running with thesteam shut off, and arranged to open upwardly, substantially ashereinbefore described.

2. In a locomotive steam-engine, the combination, with the air-valveapplied to the steam-pipc or slide-valve casing, and operating ashereinbefore set forth, of a coiled spring applied to said valve for thepurpose of openit and holding it open when the engine is running withthe steam shut off, substantially as hereinbefore described.

3. The combination, with the flat sl ide-valves of a locomotivesteam-engine and its drivingyoke, of one or more blade-springs bearingagainst the said yoke and tending to constantly hold the valve oifitsseat when not pressedforeibly thereon by the steam-pressure,substantially as hereinbet'ore described and illustrated in Figs. (5, 7,and 7" ot'the accompanying draw- 1ngs.

in testimony whereoflhave signed thisspeeification in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

rnnorrnnn moo'on.

\Vitnesses:

EDWARD l MAQLIJAN, EUG. Donors.

